Diehard1 wrote:I really wonder if Horvat has a chance to make the team - he's been lauded for his defensive game (among the best if not the best in the draft) and he's supposedly a huge kid, built like a tank. I wouldn't be surprised to see him stick as the 3rd line center. Wouldn't be a bad thing with Higgins and Hansen on his wings, two vets to help the kid along while he figures it out.

I highly doubt it. Most of the time, the defensive side of the game is the hardest to learn. I could understand if the kid could score, it's a calculated trade-off (offense worth more than defensive liability). But asking him to come right out of Junior and try to out-battle professionals in a bottom-6 role is potentially confidence shattering.

I think Richardson and Lain will be the bottom-2 centres this season. It's nice to restock the prospect pool with Gaunce, Jensen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, Corrado etc. But we shouldn't get carried away into thinking they are NHL-ready right out of the draft. I would guess we'll see Jensen and Corrado next season at points. Gaunce and maybe Horvat getting a sniff the following year (2014-15).

Morrow seems more like a MG type of guy compared to Penner and he could probably get BM on a one year deal as well, just have to sell him that he would re-sign him for more term next offseason when the cap goes up.

What I like about Morrow is that he can take the odd faceoff as well, which would be beneficial if he were on a 3rd line with Schroeder. It's a similar situation to when MG wanted Ott before when we had Coho on the 3rd.

I'd prefer Morrow. Too bad he's not 35 (just checked, 34), because then MG could have cut an Iginla type deal maybe to roll part of his cap hit to the next season. Barring that, which is not available for Morrow, hard to see how Canucks can afford to sign him. I think he'd be a good character veteran on a 1 year deal.

Blob Mckenzie wrote:Morrow would be the 5th best forward here which would put him on the 2nd line.

I think you're right but in 2010-11 I'd say Manny was the 5th-best forward, and he anchored the third line with a prominent role on the 2nd PP unit, which saw him get very decent offensive production. To me that's when the team was at its best - the third line was good enough to be a second line on most NHL teams, and all the forwards could move up and down as they got hot or cooled off.

I have no idea what Morrow is looking for - he has 23 goals over the past 2 seasons (Higgins has 28), he's missed close to 30 games over that same period. I'm surprised he's still out there, and the fact that there are no rumblings about where he's headed makes me think he might be over-pricing himself.

I think he could fit, depending on what Tanev signs for, though the 4th line will have to be very cheap.

donlever wrote:...well it certainly makes having 8.5 million tied up in net minders somewhat more palatable.

LOL

Remember how much we got bashed for going into a shortened season when the cap was near 70 million for having two goalies locked up at 9.3 and hardly a peep out of people that the Devils were doing basically the same thing for a full year in a cap hell year.